


Between Two Worlds

by Shadowed_Ceraunophile



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: But he's also not particularly talkitive, F/M, Finding Identity - Freeform, Gen, Link is not mute, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-Twilight Princess, Tags are surprisingly hard, references to Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 12:11:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13364439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowed_Ceraunophile/pseuds/Shadowed_Ceraunophile
Summary: After the shattering of the Mirror of Twilight, Link returns to Ordon, but it doesn't feel like the home it once was. After the near death of someone he loves, he sets off to find his best friend without a clue of how to go about it. Until he finds someone with a strangely detailed knowledge of the Fused Shadow and a possible way to enter the Twilight Realm. But is Link willing to pay the price?





	Between Two Worlds

“Well...I guess this is farewell, huh?” Midna said a soft smile on her lips. Her eyes wandered briefly across Link’s and then drifted to Zelda and held her gaze. “Light and shadow can’t mix, as we all know.”

Zelda nodded, almost sorrowfully. “I understand. You are wise, Midna. This separation is sadly necessary.”

Midna’s gaze dropped. “But never forget that there is another world bound to this one.”

A suspicion grew in Link’s mind. He had been happy to come with the two princesses to the mirror to bid Midna farewell, but he felt like there was something more to this meeting. Something they hadn’t told him. That something filled his stomach with knots of dread.

“Of course not. Light and shadow are two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other.” Zelda grasped Midna’s hand reassuringly. Link felt this was a kind of sacred moment, when the two princesses of opposite realms touched. “I know why the goddesses left the mirror in this world. It was their design that we should meet.”

“Do you truly believe that?” Midna whispered. 

Zelda’s glance briefly flicked to Link. “Yes. That is what I believe.”

Midna studied Zelda’s expression for a moment. “Zelda, your words are kind and your heart is true..If all in Hyrule are like you, then maybe you’ll do all right.” A flicker of Midna’s old humor twisted in her words. The glint of mischief that was so familiar to Link lit up in her eye.

Midna turned her gaze to Link. She looked for a moment like she wanted to say something, but she turned and moved towards the entrance to the twilight realm.

A stone of disappointment and sadness settled in Link’s stomach. He wanted to say something, something to reassure her, but couldn’t think of the words. “Midna…” He said helplessly.

Midna’s stride faltered. She paused and hung her head before turning to meet his blue-eyed gaze. The sad smile once again made a home on her lips. “Thank you, Link.”

A lump formed in Link’s throat. He smiled and blinked back tears.

For a brief moment Midna’s smile turned genuine, but it quickly became sad. “Well, the princess spoke truly: as long as the mirror’s around, we could meet again.”

A flicker of hope fluttered in Link’s chest. Midna--his companion and friend throughout all the events of the twilight war--had become a priceless presence to him. The hope of seeing her again made the farewell seem a little less mournful.

“Link…” Midna drew in a shuddering breath. A single, glistening tear fell from her eye. It came away from her cheek and hovered in front of her. “I…” She moved it forward with her magic. Her voice trembled and cracked when she spoke once more. “See you later.” The tear alighted on the mirror’s surface.

Link turned to stare at it. A strange glow he had not seen before emanated from the mirror. Link turned back to see Midna running up the stairs. She turned and met his eyes.

“Midna…” Link forced the word from his lips. “What’s going on?”

Midna smiled once more. This one shattered Link’s heart. Her form had already started to fade when Link began running forward. Before he could reach her, the sound of shattering glass echoed in his ears and the portal to the Twilight realm vanished.

Link froze, staring at the place Midna had stood only moments before. Time itself seemed to have stopped. His legs gave out and he sagged to the floor. “No!” Tears poured from his eyes. Racking sobs escaped his chest. “Why didn’t you tell me?” His wails were like that of a wounded animal, almost inhuman. The memories of what they had been through flashed through his mind: the forest temple--the twilight--the battle against Zant--the fight with Ganon--all of it. The one person who had been through everything with him was beyond reach. Never again would he hear her sarcastic words, her mischievous laugh.

“Link.” A soft touch settled on his shoulders.

Link’s head jerked up and met the grey eyes of the Hylian princess. “Why didn’t she tell me? We--we could have…”

Zelda shook her head. “She did not want you to know, Link. She knew you would try to stop her, and the idea of that was very painful to her.”  
“But...there could have been some other way.”

Zelda closed her eyes sorrowfully. “Perhaps, or perhaps not. There was too much risk in leaving it open, however. She didn’t want her own people possessed any longer, nor did she want one of her people to assert themselves over our kingdom.”

Link dropped his gaze. The rational part of him knew this was true, but the other part fiercely believed that there was another way.

“She cared for you, Link.” When Link didn’t respond, the princess continued. “She left something for you.” She placed something in his hand and pressed his fingers around it. “I will leave you alone until you are ready to return.”

Link listened to the sounds of her footsteps walking away. He cracked his eyes open and looked at the object in his hand. It was the twilight crystal, the one he had used so often to turn himself into a wolf. A dark chain was wrapped around it, turning it into a kind of necklace. Careful not to let his bare skin touch it, clasped it around his neck. He lifted himself up and stared at the mirror stand. His eyes wandered around its base, looking for some remanent of the mirror. Only the glittering dust remained.

Link felt drained, like a part of him was missing, like a small, sassy shadow of his was missing. Her impish giggles and chatter echoed in his pointed ears. Almost mechanically, he moved towards the mirror stand. He reached out as though if he wished hard enough, it would appear beneath his calloused fingertips. His hand met only empty air.

A dark cloud of mournful acceptance settled over him. He would never again see his best friend. The glittering dust of the mirror confirmed that. He choked back a sob. It was too painful to be here any longer. Her turned to leave the mirror chamber, but a soft crackle beneath his boot stopped him. He looked down and saw a tiny shard of mirror. Hardly daring to believe it, he knelt down and picked it up. He held it up, gazing into it. His own blue eye gazed back at him.

A bittersweet kind of happiness filled his being. A foolish hope filled his mind.

Tucking the tiny shard into his pouch, he returned to Zelda.

“Are you ready?” the Hylian princess asked.

“Yes, and no,” Link admitted.

Zelda nodded understandingly. She took his hand gave it a reassuring squeeze. A golden portal opened in front of them, almost like an alternate version of Midna’s twilight portals. They stepped through together, back into the land of Hyrule.

Link stumbled slightly into the courtyard. His human legs were not as accustomed to warping as his wolf paws were. 

“I wish to thank you, Link.”

Link turned to Zelda.

“You have saved our worlds from utter destruction. You acted with a courage very few possess. Ask for a reward, any reward, and you shall have it.”

It took Link a moment to understand what she had just said to him, then he tried to answer. A year ago, he could have thought of many things to ask of the princess, but now, his mind drew up blank.

“I could make you a general over our armies. You would live in the castle. I would have you be my top advisor.”

Link, for a brief moment, was tempted. “No thank you, m’lady. I only wish to return to Ordon.”

Zelda smiled warmly, almost approvingly. “I suspected as much. Know this, however: should you ever need my aid, you need only ask for it. I am forever in your debt, as is all of Hyrule.”  
Then something happened, something sacred that almost never happened. Zelda bent her knee and knelt to the ground. She bowed her head in the position of greatest respect.

Link froze. He didn’t know what to think.

Zelda stood and smiled once more, a little less sadly. “Take this.” She held out a tear-dropped stone. “Simply call my name, and I will hear you.” With that, she turned to leave, but then she paused. “And Link?”

“Yes, m’lady?”

Zelda smiled. “Let it be known that Ordon Province is officially a part of Hyrule.”

A true smile broke across Link’s face. He bowed deeply before turning to leave. To his surprise, Epona was waiting behind him. She whinnied softly to him.

Link ran forward and buried his face in her mane. She nuzzled him affectionately back. He swung his leg over her back. Without any encouragement, Epona surged forward, leaping down the steps into Castle town square and out of the gates. She galloped into Hyrule field, her mane flying behind her. For the first time in a very, very long time, Link felt pure joy bud in his heart. They flew across Hyrule, almost of one soul. And as the sun began to rise, the pair entered Faron woods. Only then did Epona slow. She paused before the path to Ordon and glanced back at her rider, nickering softly.

Link considered a moment, then turned her the other way. There was something he had to do first.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Friends! I'm not entirely 100% sure how good this idea is, but I guess we'll just have to see. If you would like, leave a comment and kudos...or not. I won't force you. Thanks for reading!


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